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Disneyland Paris tips and recommendations
CharltonMadrid
Posts: 5,091
Hi all. I´ve picked up some good travel tips on here pre-Covid and we´re hopefully going to make our first overseas trip after the pandemia this summer, to Disneyland Paris for our daughter´s ninth birthday. Any advice or recommendations from anyone who has done it would be great. Thinking three days should be enough (it´s not cheap!) and also looking into whether it´s best to do a package trip though an agency or book the park, hotels and flights separately. Any feedback on this would be really useful plus anything about specific hotels, restaurants, connections in or out of Paris as we´re hoping to spend one day and night there at the start or end as well. Many thanks in advance!
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Definitely a package...too many component parts at a time of potential disruption to risk losing cash on one part if an issue with another prevents fulfilment.CharltonMadrid said:Hi all. I´ve picked up some good travel tips on here pre-Covid and we´re hopefully going to make our first overseas trip after the pandemia this summer, to Disneyland Paris for our daughter´s ninth birthday. Any advice or recommendations from anyone who has done it would be great. Thinking three days should be enough (it´s not cheap!) and also looking into whether it´s best to do a package trip though an agency or book the park, hotels and flights separately. Any feedback on this would be really useful plus anything about specific hotels, restaurants, connections in or out of Paris as we´re hoping to spend one day and night there at the start or end as well. Many thanks in advance!
The European Package Travel Regulations offer you protection that won't exist if you do your own thing...
If you are travelling from the UK, https://www.magicbreaks.co.uk/disneyland-paris/ are the leading Disneyland Paris tour operator...even if you don't use them their site should give you some insight...
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We first went a few years ago, drove and stayed at Davy Crockett lodge, which is just off the main complex. Was good as the place had it’s own pool and bars/restaurants etc but there isn’t a shuttle to the site so meant we had to drive.Would probably stay on site if went again, the Eurostar station is a short walk from the main entrance.We also went there for the day when we stayed in Paris for a few days. From memory, the train from central Paris takes about 45 minutes.
We absolutely loved it there, some of the quests were long but you can get free fast track tickets on site but there are limits (I think you can only book 1 at a time and have to finish your ride time before you book another)
One piece of advice, don’t go on the Star Wars simulator just after making the most of the food and unlimited booze in the Wild West show. The second it started I realised I’d made a mistake. Honestly thought I was going to chuck up on the ride but just managed to hold it together until it finished, although was sick as soon as I got out the door.6 -
Heard French Environmental Health closed it last week mate1
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I knew it was only a matter of time Rob1
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Don't stay at the hotels around the site like Magic Circus. The Disney hotels include park entry which adjusts their sky high price. And look into dining packages.
The New York Art of Marvel hotel has been refurbished - very nice hotel, and a stones throw from Disney village.1 -
New York Hotel is nice and close to everything. Get a package and go Eurostar as the station is right by the park entrance. I would go Tuesday to Thursday- midweek as you avoid the weekend queues.2
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Thanks guys. Will be flying in, probably to CDG.
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My wife loves it but son is too old now thankfully (21)
. We went a few times and stayed at The New York, Newport Bay and Santa Fe. All had early bird tickets so you could go on rides before the park officially opens. But only a few of the rides were open. Noticed over the years the parades got smaller and smaller, last time got turfed out after the lightshow when previously you could stay on when rides were largely empty. I think they now sell evening tickets seperately.
If you want to do it on a budget, one year we bought tickets via a site called picniq and stayed in a hotel about 40 mins away. Car park was about 20 euros.
New York is nice and has a pool. Newport Bay is a bit cheaper and has a pool which was pretty cold. Santa Fe cheaper and no pool and breakfast is crap. Not that I know but I imagine similar to breakfast in a prison.1 -
If you want to save some money, there is a McDonalds in the area outside the park entrances -Disney Village. The food is generally not great and expensive.1
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Having been on a few stays at Disney I would throughly recommend staying at Marne Le Vallee as some of the prices on site are eye watering especially as the tickets are not cheap either.
Stay at the Hotel L' Elysee Europe which is five minutes walk from the metro.
If you fly into CDG go down to the railway station under it and you can then catch a TGV to MLV and be there in 10 minutes.
MLV will also get you into Paris via the RER metro in around 40 minutes.
The hotel is clean, family oriented and very reasonable priced with a good buffet breakfast. You can also buy your Disney passes at the reception and there's no price increase.
It also has the advantage of having a free shuttle bus opposite for guests to Disney all day and even up to after midnight when coming back.
Its opposite the main shopping centre called Val D'Europe and we used it to get our lunch sorted at Paul's bakery each day which will save a fortune on food.
Hope you and your family enjoy it, my daughter is 23 and she still loves the place!
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Take advantage of the meal packages. Eating there is expensive anyway but the voucher system makes it a bit cheaper Also consider booking the park and Village restaurants before you go.1
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Have you looked at comparative prices for Florida? No idea what the financial difference is these days, but the Disney Experience in Orlando is so much better than Paris. Have done both and my daughter was a bit non plussed by Euro Disney, but absolutely loved Orlando
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Have stayed at Disneyland Hotel, Newport Bay, Sequioa Lodge and one other I can’t remember in the past. Liked the Disneyland hotel most of the four, but all are absolutely fine and have characters knocking around at different points in the day.
I would recommend you look at Fastpass options and plan your daily visits using those.I think the restaurants in DL Paris are better than both the Orlando and Anaheim resorts. They are pretty pricey for what they are, but would recommend booking Captain Jacks at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and the Remy restaurant attached to one of their newer, Ratatouille, rides (that was a pretty fun ride btw).
If your daughter likes character greetings, it is worth getting a schedule in each park on who is showing up where. From Disney Princesses to Chewie and Vader, they have a full spectrum of characters who are not always out and about, sometimes in specific indoor locations, so as I say, planning again is key to save any disappointment.Most importantly, enjoy every minute with your family, your daughter will never forget the experience, so keep smiling…
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Buy a Mr & Mrs Potato man and stuff them with extras - Darth Tator is a favorite
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How the fast pass worked when we was there is that if there is a long queue, you can get a fast pass ticket for the ride using your ticket code. This gives you a return time where your wait is shorter but you can only have one active fast pass at a time so need one to elapse before you can get another.
In Disney Studios, Ratatouie is a clever ride and you can beat the queues by opting to join a queue where they fill gaps so you probably won't sit together but generally will get a pod at the same time. This can cut the wait time from over an hour to 5 mins. At least it did when we were there.0 -
Posting without reading.. We stayed in a hotel one train stop (literally 3mins) away that has a massive supermarket, big shopping centre, outlet shopping village, Sea Life Centre and lots of restaurants. Was cheaper and let us get bits for the park etc without the exorbitant prices for sandwiches and drinks etc.CharltonMadrid said:Hi all. I´ve picked up some good travel tips on here pre-Covid and we´re hopefully going to make our first overseas trip after the pandemia this summer, to Disneyland Paris for our daughter´s ninth birthday. Any advice or recommendations from anyone who has done it would be great. Thinking three days should be enough (it´s not cheap!) and also looking into whether it´s best to do a package trip though an agency or book the park, hotels and flights separately. Any feedback on this would be really useful plus anything about specific hotels, restaurants, connections in or out of Paris as we´re hoping to spend one day and night there at the start or end as well. Many thanks in advance!
Also, go to TK Maxx or something and buy any of the character outfits you might need, rather than paying loads more in the park.0 -
Thanks everyone - lots of really good tips here. Much appreciated!0
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We've just booked a few days in Paris at Easter and Disneyland tickets for one of the days. Paid the extra for the fast pass tickets as I noticed that the ones you used to be able to get for specific rides on the day are no longer available.
Anyone on here bought these and are they worth it?0 - Sponsored links:
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My advice for Disneyland Paris is go in winter, but not Christmas. Around now is perfect.
If you can cope with the weather not being great and with one (or maybe two) big rides being out of commission due to being serviced, then you’ll have a great time.
All the rest of the rides will be working, there are minimal crowds and wait times are tiny.
I took a school group in January a couple of times a few years back. Once they’d done all the official “School trip” stuff, they had free run of the park. Most of them tried pretty much every ride, and when they found a favourite, they did that one multiple times.
The car shows, the parades, medieval dinners and the rest were all on as normal.
It was a blast.1 -
Yeah unfortunately it is school time though…0
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We used to go pretty often. In 2007, when we first went our son was 6. Over the years, I got a sense they were making gradual cuts and every year it was a bit worse. Most noticeable with the parades. The last time we went, we took my son and his then girlfriend. After the evening lightshow the park was always open for an hour and with many of the daytrippers gone it was a chance to get on a few rides at the end. This last time though, they kicked everybody out as they were selling evening tickets. It is all about money and is about as magic as Stephen Mulhern! Mind you I was never a fan. Too commercial for me. Every shop sells the same thing just in different places. My wife loves it though to be fair.0
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Set this thread up last year and got some great advice, and more still coming in, but ending up going to Port Aventura in Spain instead. Was about a third of the price and excellent - would definitely recommend it.0
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February half term coming up…MrOneLung said:Yeah unfortunately it is school time though…0 -
I think the gradual cuts thing has been reversed now. Everything spruced up and revamped.MuttleyCAFC said:We used to go pretty often. In 2007, when we first went our son was 6. Over the years, I got a sense they were making gradual cuts and every year it was a bit worse. Most noticeable with the parades. The last time we went, we took my son and his then girlfriend. After the evening lightshow the park was always open for an hour and with many of the daytrippers gone it was a chance to get on a few rides at the end. This last time though, they kicked everybody out as they were selling evening tickets. It is all about money and is about as magic as Stephen Mulhern! Mind you I was never a fan. Too commercial for me. Every shop sells the same thing just in different places. My wife loves it though to be fair.0 -
I loved the light display/fireworks at the end of the night, but it was a long wait from being first seated (we had disabled seats near the front) by seats I meant position on the floor lol.We stayed in a Davy Crockett Lodge, self drive and got the dine around half board deal. The self drive booking meant free parking at all the Disney parks and hotel, the big supermarket was only a 10 minute drive and we got stuff for in the cabin, snacks, lunches etc. the continental breakfast was quite weird we had cereal I. The cabin to top it up and we had some ham and cheese which we used to fill the bread that we got with the breakfast and took out for lunch, we ate our croissants at breakfast and I’m the only one that liked the pot of apple sauce/baby food so bought most of them home with me. The dinner time was booking any restaurant at the resort or parks most of the Buffett style some were pretty decent and some were like school dinners but it’s all about taste, my advice would be to check the menus all available online before booking, you can leave the parks and come back as much as you like on self drive too so going off for dinner is easy. It’s very expensive to buy separately so the food plans are worth it. Drinks are really expensive too so stock up before you go.Disneyland is what you make of it but it can be very expensive. Personally if you can afford to wait and save longer I’d go to Florida as much more choice and more economical whilst there.0
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We stayed at the same place and took the ham and cheese rolls for lunch approach also.1
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I'm there now. Certainly noticed that the rides all seem to have been polished up. The new Marvel section is open, although there are only two rides Nd one is a revamped Rock'n'Rollercoaster.Fast pass is expensive. You can pay as you go - 16€ pp for the Nemo ride, and less for others, or buy a day pass. We are a family of four and were told a premium package today would be 480€. Too much.
You know what you get. Magic for the small ones. Money making where adults are, and a lot of queueing. I've got some amazing memories with my children, but I fear we're all beyond Disney now.0 -
I wouldn't pay €480 for the year either.ken_shabby said:I'm there now. Certainly noticed that the rides all seem to have been polished up. The new Marvel section is open, although there are only two rides Nd one is a revamped Rock'n'Rollercoaster.Fast pass is expensive. You can pay as you go - 16€ pp for the Nemo ride, and less for others, or buy a day pass. We are a family of four and were told a premium package today would be 480€. Too much.
You know what you get. Magic for the small ones. Money making where adults are, and a lot of queueing. I've got some amazing memories with my children, but I fear we're all beyond Disney now.0
